Prime Time

One of the most annoying things after spending hours perfecting a smokey eye or creating amazing eyeliner, is to have it crease on you before you've even left the house. Creasing can look really beautiful if it's intentional. If not, it's bloody annoying. Like almost everyone obsessed with makeup, I've dabbled in many a primer; some have been awful, some amazing. After a little root through my make up collection, I've chosen the ones I use most regularly:

Urban Decay Primer Potion

The UDPP is probably the most widely known and used eye primer out there. Hailed as a "legendary' product, it promised more 'vibrant eyeshadow that lasts 24+ hours and NEVER CREASES'. While it is a great product that does increase the vibrancy of eyeshadows used after, something about its texture puts me off. To me, its greasy. Even a tiny amount of product patted onto the eye takes a while to sink in and for me, has never really done much to help the longevity of my eye make-up. My eyes will still crease after a few hours and its wand does nothing to help spread the product. While I have never finished a full bottle of UDPP, its packaging makes me slightly weary, even after a few uses the primer potion seems to dry up and nothing seems to be left. Although UD have changed the bottle, the fact that I have to cut open the bottle to seize over half the bottle irritates me. Especially when it doesn't work that well on me. Am I doing something wrong?

MAC Painterly Paintpot

While I've tried many of the paintpots in MAC's collection, it is Painterly that I always revert back to. Its matte texture and skin colour makes it the most wearable, and it is definitely more hard-wearing than UDPP. By taking the smallest amount on your ring finger, gently placing it on the eye, it creates a thicker layer than the UDPP and makes the colour more vibrant and last a lot longer. But again, for me it doesn't last all day. There is still some small creasing, hardly noticeable unless pointed out. To make the product last longer, I gently apply a light layer of translucent powder, which helps to set the primer.

NYX Concealer in a Pot

And finally comes the NYX Concealer in a pot. Lots of people swear by using a concealer on the eyes, followed by a dusting of powder to set it; while others claim this never, ever works. For me, it works in the same way as the others. It lasts a few hours, until slight creasing can be seen. But for those on a budget who don't want to invest in a specific eye primer, its a great way to ensure your eyeshadow lasts longer. 

Do you have a preference when it comes to eye primers, or are you bothered?

Happy Sunday! 

Overview: MAC Paintpots

Hi Girls!!

I thought I'd start a mini-series, where I go over my collection of certain products... products that I have a few of, but not quite enough to warrant a full YT video!

The first product is MAC's paintpot! As you can see in the photos, I have 5 of them: Painterly, Girl Friendly, Bare Study, Constructivist, and Moss Scape.

Painterly, Girl Friendly, Bare Study, Constructivist, Moss Scape

Painterly, Girl Friendly, Bare study

Constructivist, Moss Scape

You can't really tell from the photos, but I've made quite a dent in my Painterly! My second most-used is Constructivist, while the others don't see quite as much use. Don't get me wrong, I love them all, but I'm most often doing neutral/brown looks, so those work best!

Painterly, Girl Friendly, Bare Study, Constructivist, Moss Scape

The main thing I like about Paintpots is their staying power. For full-day makeup, I still need UDPP, but if I'm only going to be out for a few hours, this is much more convenient, and easier to remove. I have pretty oily lids though, so if you have drier ones, they may stay all day!

What I also like, obviously, is that they provide a nice base for whatever eyeshadow I'm putting on. They make blending a lot easier, and they're sheer enough so that they enhance the colour of the eyeshadows, but they don't create a new colour. Some people may see this as a negative though, that they're not very vibrant. I'm very happy with their subtlety, though :)

Also a note on how long these babies last. I've had Painterly for two years, and it's still kicking. I always use a clean finger or brush to apply (usually a finger though!), and it has yet to change colour, consistency, or smell funny! I got Constructivist and Moss Scape at CCOs, and they're still going strong too. I had been cautioned against buying that type of thing at CCOs, but these have been totally fine! I store them all upside down... that keeps them from drying out, because gravity brings the moisture to the "top" of the product if it's upside down. Therefore... the whole product gets some moisture!

Next on my list are Rubenesque and Indianwood!

xox
Chloe